Observing motor behaviour patterns in exercise programmes for the elderly and an analysis of user views

Abstract

Exercise programmes for the elderly have become one of the main ways through which physical and psychological health can be maintained during the aging process. This study identifies motor behaviour patterns that emerge during such programmes and it examines the elderly participants’ perceptions of the associated health benefits. Seventeen exercise sessions run over the course of a year by the city council in Lleida (Spain) were systematically observed using the OSMOS_in_context observational system. Interviews were subsequently conducted with 50 participants. A mixed method approach involving multilevel triangulation was used to analyse two kinds of data, namely motor behaviour patterns detected by Theme 6 software and clusters identified by NVivo v.8 during a content analysis of the interviews. In addition to identifying motor behaviour patterns associated with the exercise programmes, the analysis showed that the participants had a positive attitude to the potential benefits, especially as regards improved motor coordination, pain, the learning of motor skills and their relationship with the group.